Food processor with dicing grid accessory and cleaning tool therefor

Abstract

A cleaning tool for cleaning a dicing grid accessory of a food processor, the dicing grid accessory having a dicing grid with a plurality of apertures, and an anchor hole located adjacent to the dicing grid, the cleaning tool having: a body having a plurality of bosses dimensioned to be receivable by the plurality of apertures; an anchor arm extending from the body, the anchor arm having a shape that conforms to the anchor hole of the dicing grid accessory and being releasably engageable with the anchor hole, such that, when the anchor arm is engaged with the anchor hole, the body is located with respect to the dicing grid and is pivotable about the anchor hole to allow the plurality of bosses to move into the plurality of apertures; and a handle extending from the body opposite the anchor arm, such that, when the anchor arm is engaged with the anchor hole the handle provides leverage to increase the available force at the plurality of bosses as the bosses travel into the plurality of apertures.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A food processor to process a food item into a diced food item, the food processor having:
 a vessel having a floor, sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor to define a space for receiving the diced food item; a blade mounted to the vessel so as to be rotatable about a drive axis the food item;   a drive shaft for driving the blade about the drive axis to slice the food item in a first direction; and   a dicing grid mounted to the vessel below the blade for sectioning the sliced food item to create the diced food item,   wherein the dicing grid includes a circular track and the blade includes at a perimeter thereof a cam that is engageable with the track such that a force path exists from the blade to the dicing grid.   
     
     
         20 . The food processor of  claim 19 , wherein a bottom surface of the blade is non-parallel to the dicing grid to create a gap between a leading edge of the blade and the dicing grip, such that the sliced food item is urged into the dicing grid by the bottom surface of the blade as the blade is rotated by the drive shaft. 
     
     
         21 . The food processor of  claim 20 , wherein the bottom surface of the blade has a helical shape. 
     
     
         22 . The food processor of  claim 19 , wherein the blade has a leading edge that first engages the food item for slicing, wherein the leading edge has a negative angle of attack relative to a radius of the blade to reduce the force imparted from the food item on the blade as the blade slices the food item. 
     
     
         23 . The food processor of  claim 22 , wherein the leading edge is continuously curved relative to the radius of the blade in a spiral shape such that the perimeter of the blade forms a single continuous leading edge. 
     
     
         24 . The food processor of  claim 23 , wherein the spiral shape is a Fibonacci spiral. 
     
     
         25 . The food processor of  claim 19 , wherein the blade includes a lift aperture to allow access for a finger of a user to lift the blade from the vessel. 
     
     
         26 . The food processor of  claim 25 , wherein the lift aperture is located adjacent the drive shaft. 
     
     
         27 . In combination, the food processor of  claim 19 , and a cleaning tool for cleaning a dicing grid accessory of the food processor, the dicing grid accessory having a dicing grid with a plurality of apertures, and an anchor hole located adjacent to the dicing grid, the cleaning tool having:
 a body having a plurality of bosses dimensioned to be receivable by the plurality of apertures;   an anchor arm extending from the body, the anchor arm having a shape that conforms to the anchor hole of the dicing grid accessory and being releasably engageable with the anchor hole, such that, when the anchor arm is engaged with the anchor hole, the body is located with respect to the dicing grid and is pivotable about the anchor hole to allow the plurality of bosses to move into the plurality of apertures; and   a handle extending from the body opposite the anchor arm, such that, when the anchor arm is engaged with the anchor hole the handle provides leverage to increase the available force at the plurality of bosses as the bosses travel into the plurality of apertures.   
     
     
         28 . The cleaning tool of  claim 27 , wherein the body includes a hinge on a surface opposite the plurality of bosses, and the handle is attached to the body through the hinge such that the handle is moveable between a rest position, wherein the handle extends from the hinge in a direction toward the anchor arm so as to reduce a total length of the cleaning tool, and an operational position, wherein the handle extends from the hinge in a direction opposite the anchor arm, and a storage position. 
     
     
         29 . The cleaning tool of  claim 27 , wherein each boss in the plurality of bosses is chamfered to allow the boss to engage the respective aperture at an angle while the cleaning tool is being pivoted to move the boss into the aperture. 
     
     
         30 . The cleaning tool of  claim 27 , wherein the anchor arm includes a hook to allow the anchor arm to engage the anchor hole. 
     
     
         31 . In combination, the food processor of  claim 19 , and a dicing grid accessory for the food processor to be cleaned by the cleaning tool of  claim 27 , the dicing grid accessory having:
 a dicing grid with a plurality of apertures; and   an anchor hole located adjacent to the dicing grid.   
     
     
         32 . The dicing grid accessory of  claim 31 , wherein the anchor hole includes a linear slot. 
     
     
         33 . The dicing grid of  claim 31 , wherein the anchor hole includes two or more linear slots located along a common anchor direction. 
     
     
         34 . The dicing grid accessory of  claim 31 , wherein the dicing grid accessory includes an opening for receiving a drive shaft of the food processor, wherein the dicing grid is on a first side of the dicing grid accessory, and wherein the linear slot is on a second side of the dicing grid accessory along an anchor direction. 
     
     
         35 . The dicing grid of  claim 34 , wherein dicing grid accessory has a circular shape, with the opening in the center, and the anchor direction is a non-diametric chord of the dicing grid accessory. 
     
     
         36 . In combination, the food processor of  claim 19 , the cleaning tool of  claim 27 , and the dicing grid accessory of  claim 31 .